This invention relates primarily to an electronic casino game, and more particularly to an electronic casino game that combines the features of a poker game with the features of a keno game.
Keno is a well known game and has been played in gaming establishments for many years. In conventional keno, there are eighty numbers in the pool of numbers that may be drawn in any one round of the game. Twenty of the eighty keno balls are selected each game. Depending on the number of matches between the twenty numbers drawn and the numbered spots selected by the player, the player wins or loses. The more numbers that match, the higher the payoff to the player.
When the player plays an electronic video keno gaming machine, a single player plays against the keno gaming machine for each round of the game and the player either wins or loses each round. The player wagers a coin, token or credit and selects the amount of numbered spots that the player is attempting to match during that round of the game. All eighty numbers are displayed on a video screen with a 10xc3x978 matrix similar to that of a keno ticket. The numbers are selected by the player using by a light pen, or by pressing the numbers on a selection panel or by touching the numbers selected using conventional touch screen technology.
In the typical electronic keno format, the player may select between one and ten numbered spots that the player is attempting to match. After the player has completed selecting the numbered spots that the player hopes to match and has made the appropriate wager, the player presses the xe2x80x9cStartxe2x80x9d button. This causes the electronic controls of the gaming machine to randomly select twenty numbers from the pool of eighty numbers and the selected numbers are displayed to the player. The electronic controls of the gaming machine determine whether the player has achieved a winning payout at the conclusion of each round of the game. Just as in live keno, the player wins when he matches all or a predetermined minimum number of his selected numbered spots. If the player matches less than the predetermined minimum number of his selected numbered spots, then the player loses his wager. Payouts are made by accruing credits on the credit meter of the gaming machine or dispensing coins or tokens into a payout tray.
The basic principles of the play of keno are set out in Scarne""s New Complete Guide to Gambling, by John Scarne, at pages 490-499.
Poker has also been a popular wagering game for many years. The object of basic poker is for a player to achieve a five card hand with the highest possible poker hand ranking. The conventional poker hand rankings are a Royal Flush, a Straight Flush, a Four of a Kind, a Full House, a Flush, a Straight, a Three of a Kind, a Two Pair, a Pair of Jacks or Better and High Card in Hand. In Stud Poker, the player receives five cards and no replacement cards are permitted. The poker hand ranking of a player""s stud poker hand is determined by the five cards received by the player.
In a typical electronic poker casino game, the awards made to the player are determined by a pay table. The pay table is established based on the number of coins, tokens or credits wagered by the player and the type of poker hand ranking that the player achieves.
Poker games also exist in which wild cards are used. Any of the cards in a conventional fifty-two card deck can be designated as wild cards with Deuces Wild being the most prevalent wild card used in electronic poker gaming machines. It is also known to add one or more Jokers to the conventional deck and the Jokers are used as wild cards. The pay table is modified to recognize the differing odds for achieving various poker hands when wild cards are involved. Furthermore, different poker hand rankings are used in the pay table to recognize different winning combinations that can be achieved using wild cards, such as Five-of-a-Kind and a Wild Royal Flush.
Both electronic poker games and electronic keno games are very popular in gaming establishments. Players enjoy the thrill and excitement of playing these games which also offer the opportunity of winning a large return for a nominally small wager. Both electronic poker games and electronic keno games add a level of skill to the play of the games as opposed to the mindless skill level required for the pull of a slot machine handle.
There is a need in the casino industry to develop new and creative games to continue to pique the curiosity and interest of the player. The best new games are those that build on the familiarity of players with the types of games that they have played before. It is also desirable to provide games that allow the player to make multiple wagers so as to offer the player the opportunity for large payouts while at the same time increasing the revenue generated to the gaming establishment.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved casino game in either an electronic game format or a live game format.
It is a feature of the present invention to provide a casino game that combines the features of poker and keno. The player makes three separate wagers. The player selects a first five card stud poker hand and the player receives a first payout if this first five card stud poker achieves a predesignated poker hand ranking. The gaming machine also randomly selects a second five card stud poker hand and the player receives a second payout if this second five card stud poker hand achieves a predesignated poker hand ranking. Finally, the player receives a third payout depending on the number of matches between the cards of the first hand and the second hand.
It is an advantage of the present invention that the player makes three separate wagers and can win payouts on either a first event, a second event or a third event. The gaming establishment will achieve increased gaming revenues while the player will have the opportunity to win large, multiple payouts.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description.
A fifty-two card deck of playing cards are displayed all face down. The player makes three separate wagers. A player selects five of the cards and the computer selects randomly five of the cards. All selected cards are turned face up. The poker hand ranking of the player""s five cards is determined and the player is paid based on a pay table and the amount of the player""s first wager if the player achieves a predetermined poker hand ranking on the player""s five cards. The poker hand ranking of the computer""s five cards is determined and the player is paid based on a pay table and the amount of the player""s second wager if the player achieves a predetermined poker hand ranking on the computer""s five cards. The player is also paid various multiples of the amount of the player""s third wager based on the number of matches between the player""s five cards and the computer""s five cards.
The method may also be practiced using two player""s hands and two computer hands. Additionally, wild cards may be designated or added to the deck of cards. The pay tables are adjusted when wild cards are used. Alternatively, any matching cards may be designated as wild cards.